TMJ Dysfunction..

[Stone]

Sounds like classic temporo-mandibular joint dysfunction to me.

I'll merge this into the main thread so you can have a read of other peoples' experiences - in the meantime look after it, avoid eating anything too chewy and try to resist the urge to click it! If you can keep it in the correct position for long enough it should start to work more normally on its own - the main thing is to try to avoid using your extra range of motion so it doesn't become normality.

If it still hurts in a day or two or the pain gets much worse then definitely get it looked at - it may have got trapped out of position. You may be able to gently relocate it on your own when the surrounding soft tissue relaxes but do try to take it easy as it'll be more prone to injury for a little while. You have my sympathy, when my jaw goes the pain seems to be in the centre of your head! 8O

Stone

[Green Thistle]

Thank you for your replies, and thanks for moving this thread somewhere more sensible. The pain has become less frequent now thank goodness, it now just catches me unexpectedly sometimes, like when I try to floss or brush my teeth (which is how it happened in the first place). I've been trying to slide it back but not sure if that's been helping or if it would've improved anyway. I'd never had so much pain there, or the audible 'snap' before. That was really strange.

Weirdly, I had similar pain for a while the other side of my jaw, and assumed it was an ear infection. That was after I had a recent laparoscopy. And I'm thinking now that when they put the breathing tube down my throat they may have actually destabilised (well, further destabilised) my jaw(??)

I'll take your advice about not overstretching. Tbh I am always stretching the looser side and clicking it, as it makes it feel better somehow (feeling of increased stability?), but I will try to keep it within its 'normal' range of motion.

Thanks again. x

[anna]

Hi guys, have now established with my dentist that I have the most unstable jaw he's ever seen and tomorrow I have to have a tooth removed - am really scared they'll shoofty my jaw out at the same time as it's a complex removal. And it's a dentist I don't know! Sure am scared